Curiosity Killed the Cat
by Dragonsploosh
Summary: A stranger arrives at the Phantomhive Manor claiming to need the assistance of a Demon that is rumoured to reside there. Unfortunately all he finds are some servants, eager for gossip. What will they do when the Young Master and Mr. Sebastian arrive home to find such tall tales being spun? And how will they react when it seems like they might not be such tall tales after all...


It was a cooks job to chop up these onions and then sauté them to put in tonight's stew, but the damn things needed to be so small it would take me ages to get through the lot. There had to be a shortcut for this sort of thing. I found some twine in a side drawer, laid four of my knives parallel to each other, and tied them together feeling smug. I was a genius. When I felt they were secure I picked them up by the handle of one of the middle ones and brought the lot crashing down over the three large onions on the chopping board.

Big mistake. The twine didn't hold quite as well as I had hoped, and the knives flew apart as well as the onions flinging themselves from the countertop and I almost severed my big toe in the process.

Mey-Rin came scurrying in as I looked about at my mess wondering what had gone wrong. More twine next time? More knives?

"Oh you've made a right pigsty in here yes you have!" She said, not sounding at all upset. "You are lucky Mr. Sebastian and the Master aren't here or you'd be given a seeing to all right!"

Yeah that was true, the last time I'd tried to cook fairy cakes with my blow torch to speed things up a bit I'd had all my explosives confiscated and had to wash all the pans by myself for three days. There was no need for anyone to find out about this little experiment.

"It's not my fault these knives as so flimsy! They just can't take a man's strength!" Okay the knives were solid steel but maybe that just made it more impressive. At any rate, she helped me clear all the onion parts from the floor while I hid the evidence of the knives and twine. Her glasses slipped down her nose every time she leant forward too far and she had to keep on pushing them up. It was kind of cute.

Anyway, we were making small talk about what we thought the Young Master and Mr. Sebastian were going to bring back from town when Snake came bursting through the door. His usual calm and aloof demeanour had shifted a bit and he looked quite animated for a change.

"'There's a man at the door' says Oscar" he informed us.

"What? I didn't hear anything!" said Mey-Rin standing up and wiping her onion hands in a dishcloth.

"He's approaching from the-" Snake began but was drowned out by the obvious booming of the door knocker, echoing from the front of the Manor. "Says Emily" we heard him finish as the knocks trailed off.

"Well whoever could that be? The Young Master isn't expecting anyone" said Mey-Rin as we all headed for the door. Snake trailed slightly behind.

"Hey aren't you supposed to be a footman?" I asked him. Surely he could have answered it, but it didn't matter anyway because I could hear Finny's excitable voice coming from outside and the doors were flinging open just as we reached the reception area.

He must have been trimming the grass, he left a slight trail as he walked through leading a rather strange looking young man with dishevelled clothes that obviously belonged to someone of a lower class background. His brown hair was neat but his eyes were wild and they flashed around the room quickly before he entered.

Finny seemed to think there was safety in numbers and headed towards us where we lingered in the doorway leading to the servants quarters and the kitchens. "This is George Seymour" he said, looking a bit unsure but his voice sounding just as cheerful as always. "He's insisted to meet with the Young Master. But he's not here right now..." He informed us unnecessarily.

This guy was just stood in the middle of the room looking really out of place opposite the grand staircase, and it seemed I'd have to take charge since no one else was doing anything. I moved a bit closer to him and introduced myself, explaining that the Master was seeing to a few errands in town.

"I have to see 'im! I'll wait here all day if I have to" The guy, Seymour, said a little rudely. He hadn't even made an appointment and he was acting like I was turning him away for no good reason.

I looked to the others for a little support, which was pointless. They just looked as if they were watching some play.

"Look, you can come back tomorrow maybe but I don't even know if he'll see you then. I can try and see if he'll schedule you in, but he's pretty busy..." I trailed off lamely, hoping this guy would get the hint and leave. Why had Finny actually let him in?

I was taken by surprise when George sank to his knees, utter despair on his face, and started shaking like he was about to cry or something. "You don't understand, I need to see 'im!' His voice shook and I could feel the desperation coming from him. "'E's the only one that can save 'er!"

Now this was getting weird. Another look at my colleagues revealed them to be enraptured in this little show and Mey-Rin nodded at me encouragingly, whatever that meant.

"Errr Sir... Please get up off the floor" I managed weakly, feeling a bit embarrassed by the whole thing. He really had started openly sobbing at my feet now.

A few awkward moments of me not knowing where to put myself and the drama wasn't enough, apparently, because Mey-Rin came marching over looking all eager and knelt down right next to him.

"Did you say someone needs rescuing?" She asked him a little too brightly. That girl does have a fondness for dramatics.

George sniffled and nodded, looking at her gratefully. "My sister. She was taken a few weeks ago and I've been trying to find 'er. She were stolen away by a demon".

Mey-Rin looked more excited by the second and the others were creeping closer to hear the story better. "A demon? Really?" Finny asked. Those idiots believed everything they heard, not a trace of doubt on their faces, just plain eagerness.

"Saw 'im meself! Like a dark shadow with red glowing eyes, I came running when I heard 'er scream to see it snatchin' 'er away. Would have gone after them too but he took 'er right through the mirror".

"Mirror?" Okay that was me this time. It was a pretty unique story I had to admit.

"Oh, yeah" He told me. "Big old mirror in this guest house we was staying in up in York. Was on our way up North to visit our Mams sister and this place were pleasant enough. 'Ad this lovely big mirror behind the bar there. Anyway as I say, I ran out my own room as soon as I 'ear 'er scream and she's in the room opposite but, before I can get in, this shadow comes out into the hallway carryin' 'er somehow as it went down the stairs. I goes after them, shouting like anything when it goes straight for that mirror and disappears. Nothing left at all. I know it do sounds crazy but I can't've imagined it. Had the whole Inn looking for 'er the next day. Nothing. No way to get through that mirror either, I tried. So I've had to try elsewhere, asking all sorts for the right information what can 'elp 'er. Had to sell off a lot of me belongings to get this far. Got a few wanting to waste me time too, thinking I'm having them for a laugh. But a few days ago I got somewhere. Someone what knew stuff. Real reliable like, I'd swear on it. And this bloke, 'e told me that this is where I'll find someone what can 'elp. Phantomhive Manor."

There was an awed silence, the tale sounding eerie indeed. Finny was the one to break it.

"And you think the Young Master can help you fight a Demon?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"All as I know is this guy, 'e knew things, and 'e said the only way to fight a Demon is with a stronger Demon. A Greater Demon, 'e called it. And that I'd find what I needed 'ere.

Whoa. Mey-Rin looked beside herself with excitement. "You're saying the Young Master is a Demon?" she asked him enthusiastically.

Snake looked deep in thought, as he had through all this, and Finny was looking a little scared at the front door. Again, it looked like I would be the one to take control over this situation.

"That's quite a wild accusation, you know. You don't want to be going around saying stuff like that to everyone".

"No, no" he waved his arms quickly "I'd never tell anyone, and I'm sure your Master is a respectable... man. I'm not 'ere to judge anyone, just to get help for me sister. I'll do anything, I swear!" He had that desperate look again. He seemed quite genuine and it didn't look like we'd be getting rid of him any time soon.

"We'll get some tea while you wait, then. But you might want to watch your words when they get back. The master has quite the temper".

The guy stood up from the floor looking all grateful but with a wariness in his eyes. He was probably picturing some terrifying Demon. Just wait till he saw the little 14 year old Lord.

George Seymour was seated in a fairly large, lesser used sitting room on the first floor sipping some green tea that Tanaka had helpfully made when Mr. Sebastian and the Young Master returned from their shopping trip. We were all gathered near to the front window waiting anxiously, and witnessed Sebastian carrying a ridiculous amount of boxes while the Young Lord looked to be complaining animatedly about something or other, a scowl on his face. We hurried to open the doors for them and something must have seemed amiss because he trailed off and gave us an enquiring expression as he strode past.

"Well?" He asked us. Mr Sebastian was setting the packages aside and also looked curious.

"There's a gentleman here to see you, Sir, goes by the name George Seymour. Needs your help with something important, he does" Mey-Rin babbled at him.

The Young Master sighed and raised a hand to his face. "And you let him in? He has no appointment for an audience with me and I'm quite busy. Please give him my apologies" He said brusquely, moving towards to stairs to retreat into his study no doubt.

"But he needs your help to fight a Demon!" Finny said at his back, and Mey-Rin nodded enthusiastically. I might have also seemed a little eager - it's not every day we get to fight the supernatural. I mean, some days sure. But not every day.

The Young Master stopped in his tracks at that, but didn't look around.

"He did seem pretty desperate" I said, as if that excused our behaviour at hosting an uninvited guest. Curiously, I saw him turn to look at Sebastian who had also stopped a few steps behind him. I couldn't see their faces but they were obviously having a moment, one of those unspoken communications they seemed to have sometimes.

"Take me to him" commanded the Young Lord, eventually turning around. This really was getting interesting, and I wondered what that look meant. I felt quite impatient to see where this was going while we lead them to where Seymour waited nervously.

When we entered, he sat rigidly in his chair with his hands screwed up in his lap. He hesitated a little too long before standing and giving a polite bow, proclaiming himself to be George Seymour in desperate need of the Earls help. Amusingly, he directed this whole thing at Sebastian instead of Ciel.

Sebastian wasted no time in making the proper introductions, embarrassing Seymour greatly, and offering to fix them a light lunch. The Young Lord was furious, and ordered an especially tall chair to sit on which Sebastian fetched immediately before disappearing off to the kitchen. I hoped the onion smell had died down a bit in there. Sitting on his tall chair, Ciel listed impassively as Seymour recounted his tale once more, being a bit more careful around the part where he had to say that a Demon resided here. The indication was still there though. He had just finished his story when Sebastian returned with a tiered plate full of sandwiches and scones, shooting us a glare as we loitered around trying to look busy. No way was I missing this.

"So you were given specific information that I, Ciel Phantomhive, am not in fact human?" he asked with a smirk. "Quite a jest, don't you think?"

"Not precisely worded that way, but it was a reliable source and I paid a great deal of money for it! They swore it was the truth that a Demon lived here and he was strong enough to get Martha back from the mirror!"

"Can you even hear yourself, Mr. Seymour? I'm sorry for the loss of your sister, truly I am, but tales of Demons and mirror worlds aren't going to bring her back".

"No I saw it, it's not a tale! And you don't understand, this guy that told me to look here, he was..."

"He was what, precisely? A jester?"

"Not human".

The revered way he'd said that, even I couldn't doubt him. Whether true or not, he really believed in what he was saying.

"In what way, Mr. Seymour" asked the Young Master quietly. He was looking over at us now, Mey-Rin with a duster in her hand doing barely anything, Finny the gardener pretending to clean some windows and me and Snake plumping cushions repeatedly on the sofa by the door. We were going to get asked to leave before we could hear anything good, I knew it. I wondered if Sebastian would be kicked out too - he was on hand to serve tea so probably not. Maybe we could ask him about it later, though he wasn't much of a gossip unfortunately.

"'E had these eyes" said Seymour quietly "the same as I'd seen from what took Martha. Bright red like you wouldn't believe with black slits like a cat. I'd recognise those Demon eyes anywhere" he shuddered.

"If this was a Demon as you claim then why could he not be the one to help your sister? Why direct you here?"

"'Cause apparently only a Greater Demon can open the portal an' have any chance of retrieving a person back out. And the only domesticated Greater Demon in England resides here. That was what the... the guy said, at least". He looked around the room a little deflated, apparently not finding the Greater Demon he had been hoping for. I saw Sebastian mouth the words 'domesticated' at Ciel, which seemed a little peculiar to me.

Mey-Rin was looking around wildly as if she expected the Demon to just pop up from behind the curtains. She seemed disappointed when there was nothing out of the ordinary and abandoned her dusting altogether to give me a puzzled shrug. I shrugged back, when I heard the sound of a cup smash and spun around to see Seymour cowering in his chair, cup shattered at his feet with Sebastian smiling politely next to him. It seemed he had gone to refill Seymour's cup when the man had baulked, shrinking as far away from our butler as he could.

That was when the Young Master turned his attention to us. "Get out" was all he said, in this quiet voice and the atmosphere had grown so thick we were torn between needing to stay, find out what was happening and run from the room before we could get caught up in it all. Under the firm gaze of Ciel we were forced to choose the latter, with Mey-Rin giving a polite "yes Master" before we left as composed as we could.

We didn't go far though. No sooner had we shut the door behind us than we spun round fighting for space to press our ears to the door. We did this surprisingly quietly, with Snake winning the most room since no one wanted to get too close to his snakes. Dimly, we still managed to hear the voices through the wood of the door and I was grateful we had chosen this room, echoey as it was.

"What are you?" We heard Seymour ask in an timid but awestruck voice. Was he talking to Sebastian? He must be, as Sebastian's unmistakable voice replied with his usual pronouncement. He was simply one hell of a butler.

"No, you can't be, I saw it!" said Seymour, sounding a little more confident now. "Please, you 'aff to help 'er! I knew it! You're 'ere!"

"Whether I am here or not makes no matter. I am a butler, am I not?" replied Sebastian a little cryptically.

"Well yes. I mean, no-"

Ciel joined the conversation once more, his voice authoritative. "Mr. Seymour I should not have to repeat it but you can clearly see that this is my butler. Perhaps you can use your imagination and understand why it might bother me to have an uninvited guest telling tall tales to my staff and accusing a butler of Phantomhive of being something other than human. Would you not agree that is troublesome?"

Seymour seemed to have lost the ability to speak. There was the sound of some spluttering before Sebastian's strong voice filtered over it "I should be interested to hear the name of whoever recommended the name of Phantomhive to you. My masters reputation is at stake, you see, and that will not do at all".

"I never told anyone, I swear" Seymour gasped, sounding much more frightened now. Whatever was going on in there?

"The name please, Mr Seymour" intoned Ciel.

A long, tense pause ensued before, and I strained to listen as I heard Seymour say quietly "'E made me promise not to tell, said 'e'd know if I did".

"That's the least of your problems, I assure you" said Ciel dangerously.

I heard a few footsteps and the scrape of a chair before Sebastian's voice seemed to fill the room and my own head, somehow different than normal and... unnerving. "Come now" he said. "Don't you require my assistance? I'll give you whatever you need if you simply tell me that name..."

Something was whispered in there, I looked at the others but their expressions told me that they hadn't heard it either. Suddenly I jumped as there came the bang of something heavy hitting the floor followed by a ringing jangle as if something metal were rolling around. Another quieter thud. Then silence.

I heard the sound of my own heart thudding in my ears louder than anything else. It was so loud I felt that everyone must be able to hear it. I backed away from the door quietly, feeling like the wood itself had gone cold. Something just felt wrong, a feeling in my gut that the others seemed to share. Despite the sun still shining outside, everything had gotten much darker and all colour seemed leeched from the hallway we stood in. Finny was the first to run, throwing himself down the corridor much too loudly and then we were all following, racing down towards the kitchens. I heard the door of the sitting room open just as we rounded the corner but I didn't look back.

We caught our breath leaning over the island in the middle of the kitchen. Mey-Rin went to the sink after some minutes to pour a glass of water and ended up smashing it all over the floor, right over a few chunks of onion that she'd missed picking up earlier. We all jumped at the sound, even Snake looking unnerved. We worked together to clean it up in silence, and I saw that I wasn't the only one with shaking hands.

When we were done I offered to pour the water, which I managed without further disaster, and we sat around sipping, listening to the sounds of the house around us. Nobody said a thing, but since arriving in the kitchen there had been an eerie groaning and creaking to the Manor that usually only occurred on cold, windy nights. It was a sunny and clear late afternoon right now.

We noticed just how loud it had been when everything suddenly fell silent. I listened intently, making eye contact with the others and moving just that little bit closer when the kitchen door banged open, making us jump a second time.

Sebastian stood there, though I had not heard his footsteps. He looked completely unruffled with a polite smile on his face which did nothing to comfort the sense of foreboding that had been creeping over me.

"Ah, there you all are" he said business- like "I have some changes in schedule this afternoon, though I see you weren't following it all too closely anyway". He was reprimanding us for not doing chores? "Firstly, Snake I'd like you to prepare for a short drive into town. I believe you know the directions to the local guesthouse, they will be expecting you. Mey-Rin if I could trouble you for one of your shawls and a topcoat I'd be most grateful and I assure you they will be replaced as soon as possible. Finny and Bardroy if you could see the carriage ready, I believe some different horses will need harnessing after our previous trip. That is all for now".

He left the room before we could even get out a "yes, sir" and we curiously rose to perform our duties, if a little reluctantly.

Finny and I saw to the horses, as instructed, and cleared several sweet wrappers out if the carriage itself. Snake joined us wearing his outdoor clothing and checked the reigns, ready for his excursion. I turned when I heard the Manor doors open again behind us, and saw a most unusual sight. Seymour was supporting a thin young woman with mousey brown hair and a nightdress, Mey-Rins shawl and coat wrapped around her to afford a little more decency. As she drew closer I could see a vacant look in her eyes, though she did appear able to bear most of her own weight. Sebastian assisted them in to the carriage before placing a suitcase in with them that I distinctly recognised as one of the Young Masters. It must have been heavy, as it made a loud 'thunk' when set down.

"Thank you so much, you don't know what this-" Seymour started to say in a quiet, shaky voice, but was cut off by Sebastian who leant his face in through the carriage window to whisper something that made Seymour grow pale. I tried to edge a little closer to hear what was being said but Sebastian drew back and went to speak to Snake. Finny had come to stand with me and we watched the carriage leave in silence when Sebastian gave the go ahead. When it had travelled down towards the gate a ways he turned and instructed us to continue on with our schedule, brushing past us and in through the doors. There was plenty to do, apparently.

You would expect everything to change after that, but it didn't really. Sure we were a bit shook up by the whole thing, and I did believe for a second that something evil had emerged and slaughtered a helpless stranger feet away from us. But that obviously wasn't what happened and I felt like an idiot for letting myself get all superstitious. A few noises and a scary story were enough to rattle me after all my years spent in the Military and the things I'd already done for the Earl of Phantomhive, who'd have thought it. Something had gone on in that room though, that was undeniable. That girl showing up was enough to prove that. But who was I to judge - I knew that we could be a science experiment, sniper, a circus freak and even a Demon and together, we would always be the good guys. This was Sebastian and he saved people, just like he'd saved us. No one else would ever understand what we stood for but in my heart I knew this family would always do the right thing and protect those who needed it. No matter what.

Even when the paper showed me a headline a few days later of George Seymour's body being found in the Thames. Suicide, it said, after being so distraught at the loss of his sister a few weeks earlier. It was reported that he'd become insane in the weeks after her disappearance, and had eventually leapt off of Blackfriars Bridge. There was no mention of the young woman I'd seen him leave the Manor with.

I don't know if the others read it or not. Best not to dwell too hard on these things. If I learnt anything in the army it was to focus on the positives and be thankful for what you have.

And we were a family.


End file.
